Those close to him are in a state of shocked mourning after 17-year-old Tyler Bailey was fatally struck by a GO Train Monday evening.

Bailey is being remembered as a friendly, outgoing teen, who had an incredible passion for riding scooters. He was a regular at CJ Skateboard Park and School, a skate park with indoor and outdoor facilities in Etobicoke.

It was one day at CJ’s around two and a half years ago that Michael Punkris first met Bailey. Punkris said he noticed right away how talented Bailey was, and approached him. Bailey taught Punkris some tricks that day, and more over the coming years. The two became fast friends

“Tyler was a really friendly person, outgoing. He loved to ride, loved to talk to kids,” Punkris said. “The kids loved him. He just – I don’t know how to describe it.”

Punkris, who started working at CJ’s over the summer, was supposed to start teaching volunteer classes for younger kids at the park with Bailey and one other friend in the fall.

“(Riding scooters) was his main passion,” Punkris said. “He just fell in love with it, trying tricks.”

Serena Cheng, a former neighbour of Bailey’s in a Parkdale apartment building, said the family moved earlier this year.

“He was a good kid,” said Cheng. She remembered Bailey holding the door open for her when she came through with her bike and also that he would kiss his mother goodbye.

A police investigation included interviews with four of Bailey’s friends, who were with him Monday night, independent witnesses and security video from the Go Train. Police say they have determined that Bailey’s death was accidental.

Bailey and the four friends, all young males, were hanging out under the Dundas St. W. bridge, near Sorauren Ave., when the accident occurred. The train tracks under the bridge are fenced off, but it seems the teens had hopped the fence, police said.

Around 7 p.m., police say Bailey had gotten near the tracks. His friends, seeing the approaching train, called for him to get out of the way, but he stumbled onto the tracks and was struck, police said.

“It was a tragic accident that could have been avoided,” said Det. Const. Stu Parsons of Toronto Police Traffic Services.

Parsons confirmed that Bailey’s family had been notified, but said police would not be releasing his name. However, friends confirmed Bailey’s identity Tuesday afternoon.

Punkris said that Bailey was planning to pursue opportunities in professional scooter riding, and a career in carpentry. He was entering his last year of high school.

With files from Samuel Greenfield

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